MONTICELLO – Derek Easter’s one-handed potential game-winning three-point shot at the buzzer bounced away from the rim to give LeMoyne-Owen College a 71-70 win over the University of Arkansas at Monticello men’s basketball team.
 
LeMoyne-Owen (1-0) took its first lead of the second half with 38 seconds remaining in regulation when senior Chris Paige fouled LaDarius Johnson, who connected on his first free-throw attempt to give the Magicians what would be their final advantage of 71-70.
 
Johnson committed a lane violation on his second attempt to give UAM the ball. After four consecutive timeouts and a foul by UAM senior Gil Verner, LOC’s Maurice Mickens missed two foul shots, setting up Easter’s potential game-winning shot.
 
UAM (1-1) led by as much as 10 points at the 4:27 mark of the first half, while LOC never possessed a lead of more than two, last coming with 15:37 left in the second half. The game featured six tie scores and seven lead changes.
 
Five Boll Weevils reached double-figures, led by sophomore Hamid Ford’s 18 points. Easter followed with 13 points and added 11 rebounds for his first double-double of the season. Easter also had a game-high four blocked shots.
 
Paige and sophomore Jeremy LaGarde followed Easter with 11 points each. Senior Anthony Lacey added 10 points and nine rebounds.
 
LOC was led by Mickens with 18 points, followed by Johnson with 17, Chris Noel with 12 and Travis Thompson with 11.
 
The Boll Weevils rejoin the field in the O’Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic on Monday, November 23 for an exhibition contest against Western Carolina at 8 p.m. UAM concludes its exhibition season the following Tuesday against Duquesne at 5 p.m.